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‘‘This solid first-half result is a reflection of the sharpened focus on our core businesses and better meeting our customers needs,’’ he said in a statement.

Woolworths supermarket division sales growth continued to lag behind its rival Coles, with the $26.2 billion first-half sales result up 3.7 per cent on 2011-12. Coles’ 2012-13 first-half sales were $18.3 billion, up 4.7 per cent on its previous corresponding period.

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The company reported a 2.5 per cent rise in second-quarter same-store food and liquor sales and maintained earnings guidance for the year.

That result missed forecasts for a 2.8 per cent rise, according to a Reuters survey of seven analysts, and compares with 3.9 per cent growth in food and liquor sales at rival Wesfarmers via its Coles supermarkets.

Shares in Woolworths were down 20 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $31.45 in early trade after hitting a five-year high of $32.06 earlier this week, while rival Wesfarmers slipped 9.5 cents, or 0.25 per cent, to $38.03.

Woolworths and Coles - which together control over 70 per cent of the grocery sector - have slashed the cost of basic items such as milk, bread and vegetables as they compete.

First-half sales excluding its discontinued consumer electronics divisions were $30.0 billion, up 4.8 per cent on the previous year.

Mr O’Brien said Woolworths had continued to grow its market share in food and liquor, and had returned to price inflation for produce.

‘‘Australian food and liquor performed well, growing by $0.9 billion, and continued to increase market share, customer numbers, basket size and items sold when compared to the same period last year,’’ he said.

‘‘Effective promotional activities, leveraging our growing customer data capabilities, and the return to inflation in Produce have assisted this result.’’